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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23733211">Dissipation</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kooili/pseuds/kooili'>kooili</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>SlowBern [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Holby City</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, RedVines Day, the last of the slowbern</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:55:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,085</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23733211</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kooili/pseuds/kooili</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>One last visit to the SlowBern universe for the woman who encouraged it all, fortytworedvines. Hope you're enjoying your appreciation day pal!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Serena Campbell/Bernie Wolfe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>SlowBern [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1605892</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>61</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Redvines Day</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Dissipation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/fortytworedvines/gifts">fortytworedvines</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You look like you need a coffee, boss.”</p>
<p>Serena stopped mid-stretch and straightened up slowly, tugging the hem of her scrub top back into place as she did. She turned around to find Fletch watching her from the doorway. </p>
<p>“Don’t you have patients needing to be seen to, Mr Fletcher?” she asked with mock reproach. </p>
<p>He shook his head, smiling smugly. “All done. Thought you might need a hand seeing as you’re obviously knackered today.”</p>
<p>“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Serena answered snippily. </p>
<p>“Oh, I don’t know.” Fletch narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. “Maybe because you look like you’re about to fall asleep sitting up.” As if on cue, Serena raised a hand to stifle a yawn before she could stop herself. Fletch’s eyes lit up victoriously.</p>
<p>Serena cleared her throat. “This report isn’t the most stimulating read and I might have had a little less sleep than usual last night.”</p>
<p>Fletch took her answer as an invitation to probe. “It must have been some date.”</p>
<p>There had been rumours around the ward lately, furtive looks and murmurs which she’d caught with increasing frequency. Ah well, it was only a matter of time until someone noticed, she supposed. </p>
<p>“I had a rather enjoyable evening out at a lovely Italian bistro with an extensive wine list  which included a particularly delightful Shiraz. Went really well with the lasagna,” Serena said. </p>
<p>“And did you stay for dessert?” Fletch ventured with a waggle of the eyebrows.</p>
<p>Serena pursed her lips in consideration. “We decided to adjourn to somewhere more comfortable,” she answered smoothly, watching Fletch’s face for his reaction.</p>
<p>He did not disappoint.</p>
<p>“Hah, I was right!” he crowed. “There is someone new in the picture. Unless you’re back with Robbie.” Fletch stopped short, a look of horror on his face at the thought. “You’re not, are you?” </p>
<p>Serena shook her head, laughing lightly. “Not on your life. No, Mr Fletcher, and if you must know, there is someone new.”</p>
<p>It was as if all his Christmases had arrived on the same day. “So, who’s the lucky bloke?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know,” Serena said, leaning back into her chair. “Should I give you an unfair advantage?”</p>
<p>Fletch looked confused. “Wot?”</p>
<p>Serena gave him an arched look. “I know all about your little sweepstake making the rounds on the ward.”</p>
<p>“Ah, that,” he answered, a touch embarrassed. “Just a bit of fun. But you have to admit that you have been in a really good mood lately.”</p>
<p>It was an astute observation. Serena couldn’t help smiling to herself, shifting, rubbing her wrist absentmindedly as she did. The scratches were barely noticeable, but the small movement caught Fletch’s eyes immediately. It only took him a few seconds to realise what he was looking at. “Blimey! That from last night?” he exclaimed before he could stop himself.</p>
<p>“The best things in life are well worth a bit of pain,” Serena answered with a wink. </p>
<p>Fletch’s face turned a shade of crimson Serena had never seen before and she couldn’t help but chuckle aloud. She pushed her chair away from the desk and stood up. “Just because I’m ever so slightly over fifty, doesn’t mean I’m dead from the waist down.” </p>
<p>“Hold on a minute,” Fletch held a hand up, stopping Serena. “You’re not really going to keep me hanging. Who is it?”</p>
<p>Serena tilted her head a fraction, sighing dramatically. “If you must know, it’s not a man. It’s…”</p>
<p>Fletch’s eyes were wide with anticipation as he waited with bated breath when a lanky figure appeared at the office door. “Serena, have you seen my pager? I’m sure I had it with me last night when…” she said without looking up from her phone and walked straight into Fletch in the process. “Oops, sorry, Fletch...” </p>
<p>“Bernie!” Serena squeaked in surprise as Fletch recovered his balance.</p>
<p>“Am I interrupting something?” Bernie asked, flicking her eyes between her two colleagues. She put her phone away and lifted a hand to brush back some loose hair from her fringe. </p>
<p>Serena shook her head and Fletch was about to agree when his eyes caught sight of something unusual on Bernie’s wrist. He peered, leaning forward instinctively. “I’ve seen something like that somewhere before,” he muttered, random pieces coming together in his head.</p>
<p>Bernie pulled her hand away from her hair and stuffed it into her pocket in reflex. “It’s nothing. A scratch I got last night.”</p>
<p>“Oh, right,” Fletch stuttered, a look of excited realisation growing rapidly on his face. He cleared his throat and signalled randomly towards the ward. “I have to go tell...“ he shook his head, “...see if Mr Di Lucca needs a hand with, uhmm, anything.”</p>
<p>Serena grinned as she waved him away before turning to a confused looking Bernie. </p>
<p>“What was that all about?” Bernie asked, sliding into the chair on her side of the office. </p>
<p>Serena sidled up next to her partner and rested her backside on the edge of the desk. “There’s been some speculation about us and I think Fletch has just put two and two together.”</p>
<p>“Oh?” Bernie tilted her head. “You’ve told him about us?”</p>
<p>“I never got round to the big reveal, but that,” she nodded towards the marks on Bernie’s wrist mirroring the ones on her own, “pretty much confirms his suspicions.” </p>
<p>“Well then,” Bernie replied, reaching out for Serena’s hand, running her thumb along the raised red lines on her skin. “I’m all for not having to skulk about any more. I think we’ve wasted enough time tiptoeing around each other.”</p>
<p>“Agreed. There’s slow burn and then there’s whatever you were doing.” Serena hummed, a shiver running up her back as Bernie laced their fingers together. It took all of her willpower not to pull herself onto Bernie’s lap and shut the office door. She finally settled for stealing a kiss on the back of her hand before letting go. “I think they would have figured it out eventually. Scratches notwithstanding.”</p>
<p>Bernie pursed her lips. “It’s still a long leap of deduction to make. Can’t imagine how being shredded by Xena and her murder mittens would have anything to do with us being a couple.”</p>
<p>Serena gave her a long hard look before deciding that Bernie was being completely serious. “In that case, darling, I did not try hard enough last night.” She silenced Bernie’s expected protest with a silky purr. “Oh, don’t worry, you’ll have a lot to look forward to the next time you come round. Tonight, my place?”</p>
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